The capsule was now resting on the vast deck of the shuttlebay. Beside it stood EvieatOst Merrova and Isshan Bacshi either side of said capsule, the rest of the immediate deck empty as per docking regulations. Both watch on as the Sherwing, a joint Dari/Kercrac craft pulls out of the bay and departs the ship, their job now done.

The two officer, mostly in EVA suits apart from the helmet pieces, shared a glance. Given even from the most basic, cursory scan had thrown up an unexpected anomaly, what they might find on a detailed analysis was anyone’s guess.

“Right lets go to work. By the book on this one given the nature of the assignment and the anomalies so far.” Vonney stated, placing her helmet on the deck, removing both gloves and using the said helmet as a receptacle dropped them in one by one, as five crew members moved across the deck towards the capsule. 

One of them, a human male, tall, with red hair, sporting the teal banding, strolled up at the rear of a very loose formation of crew, glancing between the pair in EVA suits and finally back at Eviea. Making a casual and almost unconcerned query. “Why the call for medical, no apparent injuries, is there something more?”

“As it happens, I couldn’t go into it in the company we had. But Isshans tricorder threw up a lifeform alert, which was an oddity for…..blasted things got jammed, or i can’t ben enough to see what’s catching excuse me.” Vonney started to explain while attempting to un-attach the torso section of the suit and promptly running into a snag. An arriving deck crew, interjected at this point with a polite ‘allow me, sir.’ disengaging the last remaining clasp and gripping the back to the section while Vonney twisted and maneuvered her arms in such a way the torso could be lifted off. “Phhw. That’s much better. Can you take care of those? Thank you.”

“The locking mechanism shouldn’t be too much of a problem, tricorder with the right frequency pulse loaded should sort that out.” Charnack observed, now stood by the capsule and running a hand across the mostly battered and scarred exterior, until her reached a point that was not so worn, the metal felt different to the touch, still cold but newer, and having been subjected to much less rough treatment. 

“I’d be right with you. But give the overarching circumstances and the anomalous readings, by the book.” She let out a sigh and a minor slump. “Wow, that was a stuffy turn of phrase. Still needs must.” Quickly brightening, energized by the task at hand the thought of discovery and a mystery to chase. “We’ll need detailed scans of every elevation and every surface first. Make sure they are being shared with Lab five and Lab nine, both are staffed and set up to collate our results. Keep hold of that anti-grav we can turn and turn as needed.” 

She had her own tricorder out and active, electing to take the side closest to her. Charnak started the topside running his own scanner in the same direction keeping just a pace behind Eviea. Ishaan began a scan on the opposite side from Eviea. For the next several minutes there threatened to be very little conversation or chat, silence would have reigned, broken only the shuffling of boots against the deck and the chirp, beeps and hum of a trio of active tricorders. But the odd remark was uttered.

“Noticeable composition variations, in metals.” Isshan chirped, breaking the silence with an observation.

“My hand could have told you that, very different.” Charnack hit back, pointedly and rather quickly, keen it be known he was first in with a point. 

“Ahh but could your hand have given a precise composition in percentage of material?” Countered the more experienced man, not ruffled, but not ready to be undercut by the younger officer just yet. 

“It might have given enough time.” The Andorian male stabs back, without much thought, and puts himself in an obviously absurd position.  

“Ohh I think someone might need a run through the transporter again, still a few nanites in those cells.” Isshan countered once more, this time flirting dangerously with a very recent and very painful episode.

“Please let’s not even Joke about that episode!” The firm response from the medical officer, the scot accent making the words a little more stern, together with the glowering look sent in Isshans direction. 

While not entirely uncalled for, most would feel, it did cause a few moments of eerie and awkward silence that hung over the party, the hum of four tricorders the only thing cutting through.

“Is anyone getting symbols on the newer sections, highly probable to be a writing system?” Eviea threw out a general question, purposefully to break both the tension and the silence.

“I’ve got some on the lower half, tricorder seems to think it’s writing, it keeps trying the translation matrix often enough.” Came a quick but softer reply from Isshan, if one had to guess, he would assume the man wanted to move on from the faux pas.

“Make sure you get all of it, Metallurgical goes to Four, Lets send the symbols to Nine and see what they come up with.” Eviea said finally, burning an end to the playful remarks and crew banter for the moment. “Once that’s done I do believe we’ve got about as much from the exterior as we’re going to get.” Redirecting efforts to unlock the interior of the capsule, and retrieving  the artifact that was supposed to be inside. 

“Charnack, You said you had a few programs lined up for getting in, Proceed.” She stepped back and motioned for Isshan to do the same, then motioned for Richard to keep a spot that allowed him a good look inside the capsule, to have his eyes on whatever they might find inside.

 The expectant pause went on a little longer than expected, with both Isshan and the duty medic finding a makeshift perch, The former on a cargo crate, the latter the anti-grav handler, after tweaking the settings a little. Both Vonny and the duty medic remained standing, she taking care to observe the younger lieutenant, clearly working the handheld device, and perhaps not getting the desired results if the range of facial expressions were anything to go by. A glance across at said medic revealed him to be apparently unconcerned, one hand behind and across his waist the other held up a PADD the occasional thumb motion indicating he it wasn’t for show and he was either reading or working though admin tasks that needed completing. 

 “Got it. Got it!” Exclaimed Charnack, in a burst of emotion and feeling, those who worked around him, Vonny included, would be used to seeing. “Opening now.” The tone from the tricorder and the mechanical clunk with accompanying electronic double beep backed up his claim. He extended a hand towards Isshan and made a grabbing motion as he asked. “Anit-grav please, sir.”

The equipment piece was handed over and attached with a certain amount of care to the apparent opening of the capsule, on it’s top side, then the Andorian Engineer lifted, the hatch swung back easily in its hinges, which themselves extended out of the body several centimeters, the hatch folded over completely, as it got to half way it became apparent there was something unexpected, both from the expression written across the officers face that was noticeable even from a distance, and that his facos was no longer wholly on moving the hatch in hand.

The medic stepped up glanced at the expression Charnack wore and then down into the capsule. He nodded once as if accepting what was there, in spite of a bemused look spreading across his features. The PADD went into a large mid-thigh pocket, and a tricorder came off the belt. Looking back over his shoulder at Vonny, he gestured with a free hand. “Definitely life here, Commander, take a look yoursen.” 

Eviea paced towards the capsule, not really knowing what to expect, other than something unusual given the data provided and the reactions of the crew. 

On approach, thanks due to her height, she was able to see something with  gray, organic, wide domed, appearance. 

Standing by the battered hulk, she was able to get a better look, what she caught sight of on approach appeared to be a mushroom like cap to a creature that was short in appearance, mostly gray with occasional shimmer of turquoise that ran across the exposed parts of the body. 

Its torso and belly had a roundish appearance, but not because of being overweight and slovenly, but an adaptation of survival. Its arms and legs had an oval but flexible quality, limbs that were well used and toned.

Both were clasped tightly around an worked metallic object, a cuboid, with pyramid like ends, hints of the same symbolism as on the newer outer casings of the capsule, pulling the artifact into a protective grasp with both arms and legs.

“Well hello there.” Eviea said, her voice had a soft almost motherly tone, as she smiled gently and genuinely. Glancing up at the human male who already had tricorder pointed at the being. “Not to threatening now Dr Baird, but please find out as much as you can.”

 “Welcome aboard the Roo.”